


Different Kind Of Rival

by Neocoustic



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: M/M, and they still lose, kunimi is a bully, seijohs a mess
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-08
Updated: 2019-11-12
Packaged: 2021-02-01 03:19:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21353821
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Neocoustic/pseuds/Neocoustic
Summary: He's a different kind of rival. Nothing like him and nothing like Iwaizumi. Nothing like any other that stood before him but still he stood blocking him from the court
Relationships: Kunimi Akira/Kyoutani Kentarou
Kudos: 1





	1. Chapter 1

He'd be walking when he should be running and miss balls that he could retrieve. He rarely called for the ball and when it did go his way there was a barely a swing. Kyotani couldn't careless about the lazy spiker that he'd surely replace. Or that's what he thought.The practice that changes Kyotani's mind seemed the same as any other or started that way. The same clumsy greed that pushes him past all the other players while he raced toward the ball. The same complaints and the same scoldings. It stops being ordinary when Iwaizumi crosses under the net swapping places with Hanamaki who is grateful to be on the other side. 

"Kyotani," he growls a bit when his name is spoken. "Do i need to say it."

Kyotani gives a small shake of the head. Closes his eyes and exhales trying to settle down for the next rally. Iwaizumi is on the same side of the net. His rival is on the same side, there is no reason to be worked up.

It's still sloppy but there are no collisions. Slowly the players on that side of the net start to become more cohesive. And then on the other side of the net there is a tongue poking out at him as the ball rolls across the floor. 

"You'll get the next one." Iwaizumi's hands settles on Kyotani's shoulder for a moment. It doesn't calm him not like Iwaizumi hopes. Every step he'd taken toward being apart of the team was undone with the one taunting gesture.

He doesn't get the next one. His next spike is stopped by the same wall that Iwaizumi had easily cleared in the rally before him. There is no tongue this time but he can see the curl of at the corner of the first years lips as he stops him for the third time. Kyotani at this point is sure that Kunimi is jumping higher than he normally does. Or what his week and a half with him provided as normal.

Kyotani settles down just a little as he rotates to the back. It's not enough to keep him from sending the ball flying past the back line. There isn't much behind Kunimi's serve and is picked up easily but it isn't returned. Kyotani's competitive greed flares back up. 

He collides with Iwaizumi.

Kunimi's impossible to hide amusement earns him a scolding from Oikawa. He gives acknowledgement to Oikawa but isn't really listening. He is far too wrapped up in the sheepish frown that Kyotani wears while he receives his own scolding from the other setter as well as the ace. 

After a short break they resume practice. In the back Kunimi can't block but he does puts in a bit of extra effort to collect as many hits from Kyotani as possible.

The following day is the same as the every other practice Kyotani had with them. He finishes the week thinking that maybe it had been a dream. The greed that was breifly replaced with delight as Iwazumi directed him and made him feel like he had found a home. The feeling of that being torn away as it was replaced with annoyance that twisted into anger and back to greed. Maybe all the feelings that lead him to colliding with the ace, and the look of disappointment that followed never happened.

The next week confirms that it wasn't. 

He's a different kind of rival and it's what he'll be left with when Iwaizumi and the other third years were gone.


	2. Chapter 2

Kyotani is an interesting person. The first time he stepped into the gym he brought a certain sort of air with him. It seemed to make everyone tense aside from Iwaizumi. Oikawa shakes it quickly while he welcomes 'mad-dog chan' back to the gym.   
Yahaba finds himself constantly scolding Kyotani for colliding with other team mates because All he cares about is the ball. It's after exactly 2 practices Kunimi decides that that name doesn't really suit him. The way he bumbles across the court makes him look more a puppy than a dog. It makes Kunimi grateful that he is on the other side of the net and grateful that he is no longer the center of scorn.

The remaining days of that week lack acknowledgement of his effort or lack of. He didn't think he could miss the harsh words from the coach or the future captain who insist that the current captain and vice stop babying him and make him work. That 'just enough' isn't actually enough at all.

Yahaba is still scolding Kyotani on the following Tuesday but it's less than the week prior. Actual collisions have lessen but he is no more graceful than before. The team has just wisened up and figure out when they should hop back. Just enough definitely isn't enough when Iwaizumi crosses under the net. That's one more power house spikers to deal with.

"Do I have to say it." He doesn't like the exhale that follows. Doesn't like how much sharper Kyotani's gaze looks.

A few rallies later and they look more like a team. Sort of. Iwaizumi is grinning and Kyotani's eyes light up as Iwaizumi says something. Gives him a compliment. It can't be much of anything since all the plays have been rather basic. Kunimi wonders briefly if Oikawa feels envy for the look Iwaizumi give Kyotani. Wonders if Oikawa feels what he's feeling even though he isn't sure what that feeling is.

It makes him want to lay down and take a nap so he can wake up and pretend this familiar feeling was never a thing. He can't figure out why it was familiar. He wants to dream it away but then thinking about naps makes him remember it's Tuesday and Tuesdays are never tired days. Even in evenings it's rare for him to feel very tired. The rest on Mondays always leave him with a delightful anticipation because volleyball was fun. 

Worry bubbles up in his stomach as he watches Kyotani put up a block that Kindachi barely gets around, what if it stops being fun again. The Tuesday excitement becomes the horrible tickle in the back of his throat that often invites bile.

Kyotani doesn't score with his next hit But Iwaizumi manages to keep those sharp eyes bright. It's not like Iwazumi's words, compliments, really mean that much to him not like they do to Kindachi. And the look is so something in a way Kunimi does not know how to describe but He doesn't like it so he jumps. There is more spring behind it than most his blocks do during practice and the ball only skims his fingers with ill timing.  
The next one is probably luck but it hit his hands and drops to the floor and he earns his team a point. He can't help the little tickle of happiness as Kyotanis brows pull down in frustration. 

Just enough isn't enough. That one glimps isn't enough. He wants to see the look again. The frustration.

When he stops Kyotani's next hit he can't help the way his tongue pokes in a taunting manner that is normally reserved for Kindachi, whom is looking a bit confused off to his right.

After practice Kindachi ask about the way his lips curled up just a tiny bit in the corners and the amusement that earned him a scolding but He doesn't really trust talking while in the sleepy haze that he had earned and just gives his friend a shrug. There weren't many practices where he would run and jump so much. The heavy feeling that only fully settles on him once he gets home lingers in the morning. His legs are a bit angry with him and his sudden burst of activities and it leaves him a bit sluggish for the remainder of the week.

Once again Kunimi is grateful for the bumbling pup colliding with his team mates and pulling the attention away from him.

\-----

"Are you going to run again?"  
Monday the two boys often studied together. Kunimi had initially been worried about Kindachi asking him again about the practice on last Tuesday but Wednesday he hadn't ask nor did he on Thursday or friday. The weekend was spent apart and Kunimi assumed he had forgotten about it. Now though it was obvious that he hadn't and the topic was probably half the reason Kindachi had been so insistent on seeing him over the weekend. 

"I don't think so. My legs hurt a lot last time." Kunimi knew that wasn't entirely true and come tomorrow he probably would find himself doing just the same as last Tuesday.

Kindachi looks at him before he flips his assignment over makes it clear that his friend didn't believe it. Of all the things that he could be oblivious to this just had to not be one. 

"Just..." He slides the paper over to Kunimi to check. "don't over do it. Okay?"

Kunimi scrunches up his nose when Kindachi's eyes meet his. "These are all wrong."

"Wha- you didn't even look." Kunimi pokes his tongue out earning him a laugh and soon he's grinning along with him.


End file.
